Ben Affleck's Father Reveals Who (or What) Is to Blame for His Son's Alcoholism

Christina is a reporter based in Boise, Idaho. She's a veteran vegetarian, a political junkie and a huge grammar snob. On the weekends, she can usually be found binging on Netflix, playing the piano or petting her cats, Daisy and Dandelion.

Apparently Hollywood has been hard on the Affleck brothers

It's a little bit of a rough time to be in the Affleck family. The two A-list Affleck brothers, Ben and Casey, have both come under serious fire for mistreatment of women in the reckoning that's taking on Hollywood's culture of sexism and abuse. They've both undergone recent high-profile divorces. And Ben has been back to rehab for his long-publicized fight against alcoholism.

In a rare interview, their father, Timothy Affleck, is speaking up in defense of his boys. He thinks there's only one thing to blame for all the personal demons that are plaguing the Affleck brothers lately: their careers.

"Hollywood is a disgusting place," he told Grazia. "I think that's been a major factor in Ben's drinking. You're kind of forced to develop a persona that is hard to shed and go home to your family. It affects your whole life. I think that's one of the dangers of the film industry."

He also confessed that he has also struggled with alcoholism. "I was a chronic, severe alcoholic for several years. I had to recover and, happily, I did," he said. "Ben has always been serious about getting sober. There is no question about that. He wants a balanced life and he is working at it."

As for the #MeToo movement and the accusations that have come against both Ben and Casey?

"You'd have to ask them. It doesn't interest me, they know what they're doing," Timothy said. But he went on to defend his sons, adding, "They're both kind and good men. They treat women well, I can guarantee that. After 40 odd years, you know your kids. Both of my sons are hard workers. They have a tremendous amount of empathy, they don't forget where they came from, they're very kind and generous. Those are the qualities that I value."